Red Sea Foundation Alk

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Hi, I'm relatively new to reefing(1 year) and I'm using the Red Sea Foundation to adjust my alkalinity and calcium. I have a high alkalinity in my water to begin with so I don't have to dose as often, however the instructions on the reef Foundation give dosing to keep alkalinity at 12 dkh. Why is it so high in this kit?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Red Sea has very high alkalinity recommendations because it helps some corals grow faster.

I generally recommend 7-11 dKH.

 

[GoVols]

Red Sea advises you to hit the 12.6 dkh if you want to run their "Accelerated Growth" program.

Read their page #3 on this link.

http://www.redseafish.com/wp-conten...ual_GB_DE_FR_SE_NL_SP_IT_PT_JP_CH_HB__16A.pdf

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Thank you both

 

[SPR1968]

Hi, I'm relatively new to reefing(1 year) and I'm using the Red Sea Foundation to adjust my alkalinity and calcium. I have a high alkalinity in my water to begin with so I don't have to dose as often, however the instructions on the reef Foundation give dosing to keep alkalinity at 12 dkh. Why is it so high in this kit?

If you read the label the 4 right hand columns refer to different Alk levels (7, 8.1, 12 and 12.6 dKH) so basically you have 4 options to aim for and yes the 12.6 is their accelerated growth program.

So you look to the left hand side, select your current Alk level and then look across to the right hand columns and depending on what your aiming for that's how much you add per 100 litres/25g of tank water.

Hope this helps as well

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Does anyone notice accelerated growth with the higher alk? I was always told to shoot for 9 so seeing 12 threw me off

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does anyone notice accelerated growth with the higher alk? I was always told to shoot for 9 so seeing 12 threw me off

It is generally accepted that many hard corals grow faster as the alkalinity rises. This is also demonstrated in the scientific literature.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

So for a frag tank that I really only care about health and growth would I be better to run higher alk and calcium as red sea recommends?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So for a frag tank that I really only care about health and growth would I be better to run higher alk and calcium as red sea recommends?

probably, yes. Higher alk and higher nutrients.

 

[SPR1968]

Does anyone notice accelerated growth with the higher alk? I was always told to shoot for 9 so seeing 12 threw me off

I have run the Red Sea accelerated growth for around 7-8 months and you will definitely get good growth as long as the parameters are stable with dosing etc. You also have to maintain 2-2.5ppm nitrates and around 0.1ppm phosphate the later of which is higher than generally recommended.I've had to start fragging some of the corals due to growth etc.

I'm in the process of dropping back to 'normal' parameters as I wanted to get the phosphates down due to algea issues arising.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

I have run the Red Sea accelerated growth for around 7-8 months and you will definitely get good growth as long as the parameters are stable with dosing etc. You also have to maintain 2-2.5ppm nitrates and around 0.1ppm phosphate the later of which is higher than generally recommended.I've had to start fragging some of the corals due to growth etc.

I'm in the process of dropping back to 'normal' parameters as I wanted to get the phosphates down due to algea issues arising.

Awesome, I'm currently running red sea NO3 PO4 X to help lower the nitrate and using GFO to keep my phosphate down

 

[GoVols]

I have run the Red Sea accelerated growth for around 7-8 months and you will definitely get good growth as long as the parameters are stable with dosing etc. You also have to maintain 2-2.5ppm nitrates and around 0.1ppm phosphate the later of which is higher than generally recommended.I've had to start fragging some of the corals due to growth etc.

I'm in the process of dropping back to 'normal' parameters as I wanted to get the phosphates down due to algea issues arising.

+1
I ran it for awhile and it worked for me too. Once I got the growth that I wanted then went down to 8.5 - 9 dkh and my coral colors came back. You may give up coral colors for the growth.

@Mr_Banana_Pants
FYI,
The Red Sea "Colors" program is really good too.

 

[GoVols]

Awesome, I'm currently running red sea NO3 PO4 X to help lower the nitrate and using GFO to keep my phosphate down

Be careful because NoPox lowers phos. too.

You need to keep your organics up if your using NoPoX (Carbon Dosing) at 12.6 dkh.
You can get burnt tips real easy while carbon dosing with alk that high.

Start feeding "Reef Energy" or something like that to keep your organics up.

I was too scared to carbon dose when I was on their growth program.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

Be careful because NoPox lowers phos. too.

You need to keep your organics up if your using NoPoX (Carbon Dosing) at 12.6 dkh.
You can get burnt tips real easy while carbon dosing with alk that high.

Start feeding "Reef Energy" or something like that to keep your organics up.

I was too scared to carbon dose when I was on their growth program.

My last frag tank had to be taken apart because of excessive algae growing everywhere, which is why I've started carbon dosing... afraid of algae again

 

[GoVols]

My last frag tank had to be taken apart because of excessive algae growing everywhere, which is why I've started carbon dosing... afraid of algae again

As long as you keep you organics up at a high alk while carbon dosing you will be fine.

If you start to see burnt tips or bleaching then you will need to stop dosing or bring up organics.

 

[Mr_Banana_Pants]

As long as you keep you organics up at a high alk while carbon dosing you will be fine.

If you start to see burnt tips or bleaching then you will need to stop dosing or bring up organics.

Thanks a whole bunch... I'll have to go pick up some reef energy this week

 

[GoVols]

Thanks a whole bunch... I'll have to go pick up some reef energy this week

 

[SPR1968]

Be careful because NoPox lowers phos. too.

You need to keep your organics up if your using NoPoX (Carbon Dosing) at 12.6 dkh.
You can get burnt tips real easy while carbon dosing with alk that high.

Start feeding "Reef Energy" or something like that to keep your organics up.

I was too scared to carbon dose when I was on their growth program.

+1. Watch the GFO if your doing accelerated growth as you need phosphate at around 0.1ppm and the GFO should, in theory, take it to way below that if you run it at the same time and it's doing its job. I only started running Rhowaphos when I came off accelerated growth parameters due to phosphate build up to 0.16ppm and hair algea outbreak. That's why I stopped and brought all nutrients down. I'm now aiming for around standard parameters of 0.03 and 5 ish nitrates.

The reef energy is excellent and it doesn't contain phosphates as far as I'm aware (i read it somewhere) and you will see the change if you dose it daily. If your on accelerated growth it's 2ml per 100 litres I think.

 

[tjnorthdakota]

Also to add if your using the red sea coral pro salt that alk will match the salt fairly close

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The reef energy is excellent and it doesn't contain phosphates as far as I'm aware (i read it somewhere) and you will see the change if you dose it daily. If your on accelerated growth it's 2ml per 100 litres I think.

Reef Energy (edited name) A will likely contain phosphate since it contains protein (most natural proteins are phosphorylated), but I do not know how much and it may be a small amount.